Our 'Mission':
To oppose any type of violence, oppression and abuse against animals: from hunting to vivisection, from mistreatment of animals to abandonment, from stray dogs to intensive breeding, from furs to zoos, from circuses and dolphinarium, and to genetic manipulation.
The Italian association, ‘Animalisti Italiani Onlus’ is fighting to recognize the rights of animals that still continue to be considered machines, objects, and means available to man, and that are unable to reason simply because they have no ability to speak.
This type of reasoning gives rise to speciesism, that is, discrimination – indefensible and unscientific – on the basis of species (the human being, being superior to the animal) which is a close relative of the discrimination based on race (white being superior to others) and gender (males being superior to females).
It is precisely this logic – of the superior and inferior being – which has led to justification of slavery, the exploitation of the weakest, the extermination of Native Indians or the use of South American children as spare parts, or exploitation of animals.
Our presence and battles over the years have produced concrete results in the fight for animal rights:
The First President of the Supreme Court of cassation has communicated that the crests of the togas in recent times for the inauguration ceremony of the judicial year have to be packaged in synthetic material instead of ermine skins.
Since 2004, forced feeding of ducks and geese (for foie gras), plucking of live birds, cutting of the tail for cattle and wings for birds is prohibited in Italy.
Since 2007, the European Union has gradually begun to ban the rearing of calves for the production of white meat in the pits.
From 1 January 2008, cages were introduced to prohibit the breeding of fur animals to give way to ground rearing; animals must be able to have branches to climb, manipulable objects, a den or nest and a water container measuring 2x2 metres, and at least 50 cm deep. We are sure, it will finally be able to close its doors.
In 2012, battery farms for laying hens were banned in Europe.
Since 2013, the European Union has abolished the gestation cages for sows
Italy is endowing itself with good laws for the protection of animals: just think of law 413/93 which recognizes – and the the only country in Europe to do so – the right to conscientious objection to vivisection in schools, universities, and laboratories. But the law is ignored, boycotted by the vast majority of structures.
We also think of law 281/91 that has abolished the suppression of dogs in kennels: but today the situation of kennels is dramatic and explosive, and no progress has been made to improve it nationally and to impose the widespread application of the law through sterilization, tattoo and registry office in all Italian municipalities.
And finally, Law 189/2004 which punishes animal abuse not only with administrative sanctions but also with arrest.
Animalisti Italiani